“Your boss thinks we should wait,” I tell her. “Let the investigation into Noah play out before making any moves.”
She studies my face. “And you don’t agree.”
It’s not a question. “I don’t like leaving things to chance,” I admit. “Especially when Atlee is involved.”
Lennon’s expression softens marginally. “Shawn knows what he’s doing, Devlin. If he says wait, that’s probably your best play.”
“Yeah, that’s what he said too.” I glance at my watch. “I should go. Need to fill the guys in on what’s happening.”
“Tell my sister I’ll call her later,” Lennon says as she walks me to the door. “And Devlin? Don’t do anything stupid.”
I can’t help the half-smile that curves my lips. “No promises.”
Outside, I slide behind the wheel of my truck but don’t start the engine right away. Instead, I sit there, letting Shawn’s information sink in. Noah is under investigation. That changes the equation, giving us breathing room we didn’t know we had. But it doesn’t eliminate the threat.
Morrison is still out there, still pulling strings, and he has a personal grudge against us now, one that goes beyond business. We stole from him, embarrassed him. Men like Richard Morrison don’t let that go easily.
I start the truck and head toward Grizzly River Ranch, my mind working through various scenarios. Playing the waiting game might be the smart move legally, but it doesn’t sit right with me. In the military, I learned that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Strike first, set the terms of engagement.
But this isn’t a battlefield, and Atlee isn’t a soldier. She’s the woman I love, the future I never thought I’d have, and that changes everything.
By the time I pull up to the ranch, I’ve made my decision. We’ll follow Shawn’s advice for now. We’ll wait, we’ll watch, we’ll gather information. But we’ll also be ready to move at the first sign that Noah or Morrison is making a play against us.
Jesse and Truett are waiting on the porch of the main house, with Carson leaning against a support column nearby. They straighten as I approach, eagerness and anxiety written across their faces.
“What’s the word?” Jesse asks as soon as I’m within earshot.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s sure to be a heated discussion. “We wait,” I tell them, climbing the steps to join them on the porch. “But not for long.”
As I explain what Shawn told me, I can see the conflict in their expressions, the same wariness about waiting that I feel,mixed with the hope that Noah’s own troubles might save us from ours.
“So we just sit on our hands?” Truett questions, disbelief in his voice. “While Noah and Morrison plot against us?”
“Not exactly,” I counter. “We wait for the right moment, and in the meantime, we prepare. Carson, I need you to find out everything you can about this Project Watershed. If Morrison is trying to control the water rights in the county, there must be records, permits, applications.”
Carson nods, already looking thoughtful. “I can do that. Might take some digging, but if it’s in any public system, I can find it.”
“Good,” I say, turning to Jesse and Truett. “You two need to talk to the other local ranchers. Quietly. Find out if Morrison has approached any of them about selling their land and if they’ve had any run-ins with Noah.”
“What are you going to do?” Jesse asks, a knowing look in his eye.
“I’m going to keep Atlee safe,” I say firmly. “And I’m going to make sure Noah knows we’re not intimidated. We’re not running, and we’re not hiding.”
Truett grins, the first real smile I’ve seen from him in days. “Now that sounds more like the Devlin Nelson I know.”
I don’t return the smile. “Just remember, we’re playing this smart. No confrontations, no accusations. We gather information, we build our case, and we wait for them to make a mistake.”
“And if they don’t?” Jesse asks the question we’re all thinking.
“Then we reevaluate,” I say simply. “One way or another, this ends on our terms, not theirs.”
As we break up to begin our assignments, I can’t shake the feeling that we’re entering the calm before the storm. Noah maybe biding his time, but men like him don’t give up easily, and Morrison has too much at stake to back down now.
Whatever comes next, I’m ready for it. For the ranch, for my family, for Atlee. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine. That’s a promise I intend to keep, no matter what it costs me.
SEVENTEEN
ATLEE
